Adjustable rubber valve



March 23, 1943. BYURRELL 2,314,767

ADJUSTABLE RUBBER VALVE 'Filed Mardh 18, 1942 Patented Mar. 23, 1943 Guy H.-Bun-ell, Mount Lebanon, Pa., assignmto Burrell Technical Supply Company, Pittsburgh, Pa... a corporation of Pennsylvania 1' Application March 18, 1942, Serial No. 435,161

4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in flow control valves for use in gas or liquid systems, and it i among the objects thereof to provide a valve structure that is nonfragile, of simple, compact and durable construction, and which shall be capable of maintaining a controlled gas or liquid flow.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a valve of the above-designated character which shall be self-clearing of particles entrained in the gas or liquid flowing therethrough.

The invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawing constituting a part hereof in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which:

Fig. l is a vertical cross-sectional view of a valve embodying the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2 a similar view taken at right angles to the view of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 a cross-sectional view of the center of the rubber part expanded to open flow position;

Fig. 4 a side elevational view of the molded rubber part only; and

Fig. 5 a cross-section taken along the line 5-5,

' Fig. 4.

In the drawing, th numeral I designates a housing of aluminum alloy or any other suitable, durable, lightweight material, such as a plastic having a cylindrical bore 2 for receiving a molded rubber valve body 3 having outer rings 4 at the top and bottom to secure the valve in position in the housing I.

Opposite ends of the valve are provided with eplarged openings 5 for receiving the ends 6 of glass or other tubing through which the gas or liquid is conducted to and from the valve.

The constricted center portion I of the rubber valve body 3 is provided with slots 8 which aid in the flow of the fluids through the valveand which function to clear the valve of any solid particles that may be entrained in the fluids passing therethrough.

A spherical or other shaped valve element 9 of glass or other non-corroding material i disposed in the center portion of the molded valve, and as shown in Fig. 2 the aluminum housing is provided with a. clearance l and Illa permits expansion of the rubber valve when the latter is subjected to pressure.

A rubber disk II is disposed in a cut-out portion I2 of the housing I and a metal backing disk I I3 is placed against the rubber disk to take up the wear of a screw l 4 having a knob l by which it may be rotated. When pressure is exerted on the disk II, the valve body will bulge, as shown at l 6, Fig. 3, to a diameter larger than the spherical ball 9, thereby permitting the free flow of the spherical ball properly positioned.

In operation the valve is used for sealin against the passage of and for controlling the flow of liquids or gases by the use of the hand adjusting screw which exerts pressure against the valve body and the ball 9. The valve body flexes and expands sideways under pressure to form an opening at each side of the ball, as shown in Fig. 3.

The cut-out portion ll! of the housing I permits sufficient sideway expansion of the valve body to provide for an adequate volume of the fluid to flow through the valve. The adjusting screw not only provides for accurate control of the flow, but will maintain the adjusted flow indefinitely, thereby giving the device great utility in gas analysis apparatus or the like.

It is apparent that instead of a unitary housing I, as shown, a single casting may be utilized to support any number of such valves in multiples where that is convenient in the use of the device.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been herein illustrated and described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

1. A valve structure comprising a supporting housing, a molded resilient valve body disposed in said housing and held against axial displacement therein, said valve body having a central flow passage, a valve disposed in said passage of a size larger than the passage, an adjusting screw for subjecting the valve body to pressure adjacent the valve, said housing being recessed transversely of the line of pressure to permit flexing and distortion of the valve body.

2. A valve structure comprising a housing, a molded resilient valve body disposed in the housing having beaded ends constituting abutments for preventing axial displacement of the valve in said housing, said molded body having a central opening extending the full length thereof, a valve disposed in said opening, the .valve being larger.

the valve, a screw mounted in the valve housing adapted for engagement with the valve body. said valve housing being recessed to permit expansion or the valve body in a direction transversely of the screw pressure, said valve body being adapted to receive the ends of conduits to connect the same with a source of fluid.

3. A valve. stmcture comprising a housing, a

molded valve body disposed therein and secured against axial displacement, said valve body being of a resilient material, such as rubber, and having a central opening constituting'a flow passage, a valve of greater dimension than said Passage disposed therein, a recess in said housing 'on'one side of the valve body, a screw mounted in the housing in alignment with said recess, a flexible disk for engaging the valve body, .a metaldisk disposed against said flexible disk, both or said disks being mounted in the recess of the housing,

with the metal disk in alignment with and for GUY H. BURREIL. 

